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Clean Technology
Conference
May 3 - 7, 2009 - Houston Texas

Production of Synfuels from CO2 and Nuclear
Power –
a “Win-Win” Clean Technology

K.R. Schultz, A.S. ShenoyGeneral Atomics, US

The US currently releases 1,900 million metric tons (MMt) of CO2
into the environment each year during production of electricity from
coal, and another 1,800 MMt/year by consumption of hydrocarbon
transportation fuels. Capture of the CO2 from electric power
production and use of it to produce synthetic hydrocarbon
transportation fuels (synfuels) to replace petroleum-based fuels
could cut this CO2 release in half. Preliminary analysis of the CO2
to Synfuel concept indicates CO2 could be captured from existing
fossil-fired electric plants by oxy-firing and condensing the water.
CO2 and water can be converted to syngas by electrolysis of water
(3H2O => 3H2 + 11/2O2) and the reverse water gas shift reaction (CO2
+ H2 => CO + H2O) to get CO + 2H2. The syngas can be converted to
synthetic hydrocarbon transportation fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch
reaction (CO + 2H2 => CH2 + H2O). If the CO2 released by coal-fired
electricity production were converted to synfuels, all our
transportation fuel needs could be met, and the CO2 produced from
these two sources (roughly 2/3 of US production) could be cut in
half. Preliminary economic evaluation indicates that with a modest
tax on release of CO2, the cost of producing synfuel could be
comparable to current transportation fuel costs (~$2 – 4/gallon).